On the cards: public subsidies to make ageing lifts in Hong Kong safer after malfunctions caused two accidents this year
Aim is to help poorer building owners who cannot afford upgrade costs, while authorities also mull greater challenge of legally requiring safety devices
The Hong Kong government is seriously considering bearing part of the cost for lift upgrades at older private buildings, after malfunctions killed one person and injured two others this year, but owners of pricier properties could be left out of the scheme.
Kuok Hoi-sang, a member of the government’s Lift and Escalator Safety Advisory Committee, said affluent owners who lived in “higher-end residential buildings” would not be subsidised.
In its discussions last month with government representatives, the committee felt poorer owners of older residential or commercial properties should get a leg up so they can afford the cost of safety improvements.
Eligibility would be based on the rateable value of the property – or the estimated annual rent for the space, which is determined by factors including size and location. Figures from the Home Affairs Department show there are over 40,000 privately owned buildings in the city.
“I think this is fair to use government resources for those in need of help,” said Kuok, who is also the chairman and managing director of construction and property management company Chevalier Group.
Of 66,291 lifts in the city last year, about 80 per cent or more than 53,000 were found to lack modern safety devices, such as a “rope gripper” that prevents uncontrolled ascent and unintended movements.